More than 3,000 volunteers gathered across San Antonio on Saturday to clean trash from the city’s rivers and waterways. The annual event, known as Basura Bash, was organized by River Aid San Antonio in partnership with local community organizations such as Saws, city council members and volunteers.
Volunteers worked at multiple locations around the city, helping to clear litter from creek beds, river systems and parks. Jessica Mrozinski, a volunteer, highlighted the long-standing collaboration between River Aid San Antonio and the San Antonio River Authority.
“This event has been happening for over a decade,” Mrozinski said, “it’s a citywide effort to clean up our waterways, and this year, River Aid San Antonio took on the responsibility of organizing the event for the first time.”
Brendan Gibbons, board chair of River Aid San Antonio, discussed the 30-year history of Basura Bash.
“We have about two dozen sites around the city, and we’re hoping to see 3,000 volunteers this year,” Gibbons said. “If we hit that target, it would set a new record for recent years. River Aid San Antonio began organizing the event two years ago, but it was founded in the 1990s by local citizens concerned about the state of our waterways.”
The event also highlights the city’s expanding trail network, which has grown to over 80 miles in the past two decades.
“These trails have made natural areas more accessible to the public,” Gibbons stated. “As more people visit these areas, they become more aware of the pollution problem. Our goal is to ensure healthy ecosystems and water quality, with the hope that one day, these waterways may even be safe for swimming.”
River Aid San Antonio aims to continue expanding the event for the years to come. Gibbons added that, “We want to increase the number of cleanup sites, the number of volunteers and the level of corporate support. Our sponsors help provide supplies and support the hundreds of staff hours needed to organize the event.”
In addition to the cleanup, River Aid San Antonio is working on a long-term project, including the water monitoring program. Through the Texas Stream Team, volunteers will be trained to monitor water quality at designated sites throughout the city.
Basura Bash, which started as a small community effort 30 years ago, has grown into a major, citywide event. Over the years, more than 50,000 volunteers have helped remove more than 1.4 million pounds of trash from San Antonio’s waterways.
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